Kennedy Center’s Next Honorees Include Billy Crystal, Renée Fleming, Barry Gibb, Queen Latifah And Dionne Warwick

The Kennedy Center announced its honorees for its next ceremony, a list that includes Billy Crystal, Renée Fleming, Barry Gibb, Queen Latifah and Dionne Warwick.

Gloria Estefan will host the ceremony, which will take place on Dec. 3. Organizers said that the event also will pay tribute to the 50th anniversary of hip hop. Done+Dusted will return as executive producers. CBS will air the 46th annual event and it will stream on Paramount+.

The honorees have traditionally been feted throughout the weekend, with a reception hosted by the State Department and another at the White House. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden have attended the event the past two years.

David Rubenstein, the chairman of the Kennedy Center, said in a statement that Crystal was “a true comedic icon and multi-talented artist since the 1980s who has kept millions laughing around the world.” Rubenstein said that Gibb, “along with his late brothers Robin and Maurice, set the music world on fire in the 60s and later defined the modern dance era with their trademark falsetto sound and groove style.” Fleming, he said, “has captivated audiences worldwide with her luminous voice, incomparable artistry and a knack for brining opera into the mainstream for more than four decades.” Latifah “shaped and innovated the art form in its earliest days, representing Black woman everywhere and using the idiom to become a powerful voice for change.” Warwick “has blazed a trail with her signature voice, scintillating presence and trove of hits that has become a soundtrack of inspiration for generations of artists and audiences.”

The executive committee of the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees confirms the list of honorees each year, after recommendation from the public and a special honors advisory committee. .